The Australian Principals Associations Professional Development Council Inc (APAPDC Inc) has been contracted by the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training under the School Languages Programme to undertake an information and dissemination strategy for school principals and leaders in all education sectors. As a result school principals and leaders will be informed and encouraged to play a constructive leadership role in facilitating quality improvement in Languages education.

The project aims to promote greater awareness and deeper understanding among principals and school leaders of:

• the nature of languages education and the significant role it can play in preparing students for life and work in the 21st Century, particularly in developing intercultural skills in students, and how this links to other priorities at State, Territory and national levels;

• the factors contributing to effective and sustainable languages programmes, and their crucial role in the implementation of such programmes; and

• action at the national level to support languages education such as other national projects funded under Australian Government School Languages Programmes and Quality Teacher programmes and research into the attitudes of parents and school communities being undertaken by the Australian Council of State School Organisations (ACSSO).